Government Documents

Exoplanets and Beyond -- Take a Trip Outside Our Solar System

May the 4th be with you!  This Star Wars Day, we’re looking past the silver screen and into the reaches of our own universe. While Luke Skywalker looked out at the twin suns of Tatooine, NASA was busy discovering real-world planets that are just as strange and spectacular.

Using data from NASA’s most advanced telescopes, we are now discovering places that were once relegated to science fiction. Step into the Exoplanet Travel Bureau and take a virtual tour of worlds where it rains glass and planets orbit two stars at once. Or—want to see the real science behind the fiction? Explore our curated collection of exoplanet resources, including a deep dive into the physics and biology that inspired Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary.

Pack your (imaginary) bags—the galaxy is waiting! Our display can be found at Marx Library on 2nd Floor South with additional handouts and a supplementary bibliography for more information.

Topics in the News from Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Equal Protection Analysis

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/28/26 (CRS INFOGRAPHIC, LG10094)

Sports Reform in the United States: College Athletics and the Olympic Sports Pipeline

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/28/26 (CRS REPORT, R48931)

Enforcement of Federal Pollution Control Laws

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/27/26 (CRS REPORT, R48926)

Memorials and Commemorative Works Outside Washington, DC: Background, Federal Role, and Options for Congress

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/21/26 (CRS REPORT, R45741)

Prediction Markets Legislation in the 119th Congress

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/21/26 (CRS IN FOCUS, IF13207)

Parental Rights and Student Gender Transitions at School: Legal Developments

     U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/20/26 (LEGAL SIDEBAR, LSB11422)

Artificial Intelligence: CRS Products

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/14/26 (CRS REPORT, R48909)

Artemis: NASA’s Program to Return Humans to the Moon

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/13/26 (CRS IN FOCUS, IF11643)

Birthright Citizenship: Litigation Status Update

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 4/3/26 (LEGAL SIDEBAR, LSB11414)

Guns and Drugs: A Brief History of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3)

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/27/26 (CRS IN FOCUS, IF13195)

U.S. Conflict with Iran

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/26/26 (CRS REPORT, R48887)

False Claims Act Enforcement Involving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs

     U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/24/26 (LEGAL SIDEBAR, LSB11410)

Is “Affordability” An Attainable Policy Goal?

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/23/26 (CRS IN FOCUS, IF13189)

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA): Overview and Ongoing Role in Election Administration Policy

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/20/26 (CRS REPORT, R46949)

Prediction Markets: Policy Issues for Congress

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/20/26 (CRS IN FOCUS, IF13187)

Iran Conflict and the Strait of Hormuz: Impacts on Oil, Gas, and Other Commodities

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/19/26 (CRS REPORT, R45281)

The Federal Status of Marijuana and the Policy Gap with States

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/10/26 (CRS IN FOCUS, IF12270)

The Second Amendment at the Supreme Court: Challenges to Federal Gun Laws

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/9/26 (LEGAL SIDEBAR, LSB11108)

U.S. Military Operations Against Iran’s Missile and Nuclear Programs

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/6/26 (CRS INSIGHT, IN12665)

Redistricting Commissions for Congressional Districts

    U.S. Congressional Research Service, 3/4/26 (CRS INSIGHT, IN11053)